Hours
by GreenTea8
Summary: The hours of the day take on new meaning for Joey Wheeler when he learns that one of the strangest ways to get personal with someone is to drive his car.
1. Chapter 1

6:00pm

Mrs. Johnson had met many interesting people over the years, but the boy who crashed into her office that summer evening was one of the strangest.

The black and white clock on the wall of Domino City's unemployment office read six, the hour when Mrs. Johnson could finally go home after a long day behind her desk. She stretched stiffly, tidied a few papers, and picked up her dry coffee mug. The room was silent, disrupted only by the steady ticking of the generic analog clock, a sound Mrs. Johnson had gotten used to hearing during the later hours of the afternoon, when the office was invariably empty. Domino had a good economy.

These musings were loudly interrupted when a young man barged through the glass doors, speaking rapidly and urgently into a cell phone.

"No, don't worry … no, no, it'll be fine. I'll take care of it. Trust me. … Love ya too, Sis. Bye."

In seemingly one step, he had reached her desk and was leaning over it eagerly, his messy blonde hair bobbing up and down from the motion.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Mah name is Joey Wheeler. I need a job."

Mrs. Johnson glanced at him and then glanced at the clock. "I'm sorry, si-"

"Please, it's really important. I'll take any job you can offer; I just really need the money."

Swallowing a sigh, she sat down again and handed him a clipboard of forms.

"I'll need you to fill out this top section, read this area, and sign here and here," she said, putting on reading glasses with one hand and pointing with the other.

He was done before her computer had booted. She took the papers and started entering basic information into the system – his full name, birthday, address and phone number – the usual routine. He waited as she scanned the options, hovering over the table and fiddling with a pen. Finally, she printed out a page and turned to him.

"Okay, Mr. Wheeler. This is the best job I can offer you, given your circumstances. All it requires is a driver's license and a great deal of free time. It's one of the highest paying jobs available to someone with only a high school diploma. It's also a job nobody wants."

Again, Joey didn't wait for her to finish. "Sounds great! School's out now, so I can work any hour. Just tell me what to do next."

Mrs. Johnson looked at him for a moment and shrugged. Joey didn't seem to notice.

"You'll need to consider these contracts carefully – terms and conditions and the like."

"You said this job _cashed in_, right?"

"Uh … yes."

Joey grabbed the papers and signed them. "When do I start?" He grinned.

This time Mrs. Johnson looked at him for a long time and frowned. "Mr. Wheeler, you may want to look over these a bit more carefully …"

"Nah, Joey Wheeler can handle anythin' you can throw at me!"

"Okay then. Expect a call from Domino Limousines within twenty four hours."

With a zealous "Thank you!" he had pranced out the door, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. Mrs. Johnson watched the glass doors bang shut with a dangerous clatter before bending over to reorganize her desk.

"He'll be back tomorrow. Nobody ever lasts long as the chauffeur for Seto Kaiba."


	2. Chapter 2

9:00pm

Crossing three lanes at once and eliciting numerous angry honks, Joey swerved onto the exit ramp only to hit a red light.

"Damn. I'm gonna be late my first time," he muttered, checking the radio clock again but knowing it wouldn't have changed. The unforgiving red "9:00" of the digital clock stared back at him.

Earlier that day, he'd received a call from the city's limo service telling him to pick up his vehicle and await further notice, but not from them. The man on the other end of the line had seemed glad to get the mysterious client off his hands, as if now he was Joey's problem and not his own.

The limo was a sleek little black thing, Italian, that purred at his touch. Joey slid his hand along the leather steering wheel and smiled. So far this job seemed to only have upsides.

"But what sort of a loony doesn't leave work 'til nine at night?" he wondered, remembering the phone call a few hours earlier from a young woman who identified herself as the secretary, telling him to arrive precisely at nine to the address preprogrammed into the GPS.

At this point Joey was only superficially listening to the robotic female voice telling him to "turn left in 0.2 miles." He had entered the heart of the city, a place he knew well. He could identify all of the places where he had dueled with Yugi and the gang, all of the shops and arcades.

"I wonder who this guy is. I know he must be stinkin' rich. He's probably some really old, cranky fellow, short and fat, with a hideously thick moustache and two spoiled grandchildren named after European cities. Heh heh."

Joey was too busy inventing his imaginary boss to realize he had turned onto the street leading to Kaiba Corp. Looking up, he gagged on his chuckle and almost ran into a street lamp.

The Kaiba Corporation building was the tallest structure in Domino City. Its four sides jutted into the surrounding space like the claws of a dragon, towering imposingly over the rest of the city, as if to claim its territory. In the night light, it emitted an eerie glow of silver and chrome. A wide plane of cold stone steps surrounded this fortress, and at the bottom of those steps stood Seto Kaiba.

"You have arrived at your destination," cooed the GPS, almost mockingly.

It was three minutes past nine.

Joey ogled the little LED map display, willing it to change, trying to eyeball the small screen into submission, while the limo crept to a stop in front of the steps. Slowly, he lifted his head, which suddenly felt very heavy.

The CEO of Kaiba Corp. was not old or short or fat. He wasn't cranky either. Instead he gazed down at the black car in front of him with the steadiness of an executioner, ready to pass judgment. No one made Seto Kaiba wait.

He tapped on the tinted window of the passenger seat.

In any other situation, Joey would have jumped out of the car, thrown a few insults, and left in style. But he needed this job. Reluctantly, he rolled down the window across from him, glad to be sitting in shadows.

Seto leaned in, crossing his arms and resting them on the ledge.

"What took so long?" he breathed in a whisper that froze blood.

When he was answered with silence, he smirked. "What, too scared to speak?" he asked, straightening up. When there was still no response, his voice hardened. "Get out of the car, you useless, imbecilic piece of –"

"Who the hell do you think you're … shit."

Joey slammed the door that he had too hastily leaped out of and cursed his short temper. In the stillness that ensued, one could almost hear the tension buzzing through air thick as coal tar.

"… Mutt?"

"Moneybags."

"What were you doing in my limo?"

"Driving it, genius."

"What did you do to my new driver?"

"Ya know, for a child prodigy or whatever, you're pretty slow."

It was quiet again. Then, Seto Kaiba broke into laughter that was absolutely evil.

"Is the mangy mutt that desperate?" he sneered.

"If I'd known it was for you I never would have taken the job, rich boy!" Joey was ready to storm off, but he clenched his fists and took a deep breath. "Look, do you need to go home or not?"

Seto just continued to smirk at him.

"Open the door for me, mutt."

This time Joey's fist was in the air, and he felt himself trembling as he struggled to bring it down and reach for the handle. Seto got in, and Joey took the wheel, swearing to himself that the minute he'd collected enough pay he'd drive Seto Kaiba off a cliff.


	3. Chapter 3

5:00am

The first time Joey's cell phone rang, he didn't hear it. After what seemed an eternity of endless ringing, he groaned, rolled over, and fumbled around blindly on his nightstand. After knocking off a few unidentifiables that fell, clanking, to the floor, he found the device and lifted it to his ear, still lying down with his eyes closed.

"Get over here, you lazy, good-for-nothing mutt."

"… Huh? …"

"It's me, you stupid dog."

"K- Kaiba?"

Joey turned his head to look for his alarm clock. His eyes practically bulged when he saw the bright "5:00" peering into the darkness.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"What sort of a question is that?"

"It's five in the morning!"

"And you're an idiot. Now that we've cleared up the obvious, get your sorry self over here. I'm late."

"For what? Watching the sun rise?"

Suddenly, Seto's voice was dangerously low. "Listen, you mangy, flea-bitten, third-rate, sorry excuse for a –"

"Okay, okay … don't use up your arsenal all at once or something. Give me a minute. I'll be right over."

On the other end, the line clicked into a dial tone.

Joey tumbled groggily out of bed and meandered towards the bathroom. Five minutes later, he was driving along a nearly empty road towards the Kaiba mansion. He arrived to find Seto waiting outside the gates with his briefcase and a cup of coffee. Joey stumbled out of the car and over to the other side to grab the backseat door handle.

"You should be happy I didn't drive into a tree or somethin' on my way here, rich boy," he muttered, flinging open the door.

Seto eyed the boy yawning and slouching against the side of the car, looking extremely disheveled. He shoved his coffee at him. Joey just stared back, eyes round.

"Take it. I don't want to end up dead because you fell asleep behind the wheel."

"Uh … thanks."

Most of the ride was silent, with only the sounds of the car purring along the asphalt and the occasional screech of a bird in the distance. Finally, Joey asked, "So, what about Mokuba? Didn't see the kid this morning."

"He gets up later. His private tutor doesn't arrive until eight."

"Ah. … So, do you get up this early every day?"

"Pretty much."

"Is that why your last driver quit?"

"No."

"So, what happened?"

"Are you a limo driver or an interrogator?"

It was silent again.

"Okay, mutt. My turn. Why did you need a job?"

Joey paused. "Uh, personal reasons."

They'd arrived at Kaiba Corp. "Await my call," Seto commanded before marching off. Joey just groaned.


	4. Chapter 4

11:00am

"Nice one, Joey!"

"Heh heh, thanks Yug! Let's see you guys beat that! Oh, hang on."

Joey strolled away from the air hockey table, where Yugi was beaming at him and Duke and Tristan were wrestling each other over who let in the last goal. A few feet away, Tea was ordering a mountain of pizzas. The giant mouse-shaped clock on the wall read eleven in the morning.

Joey stared at the phone vibrating in his hand and considered tossing it into the nearest Dunk-A-Thunk. But he'd promised Serenity.

"Hey, guys, uh, somethin' came up, so I'll catch up with you later."

As he ran off, he heard a terrified Tea exclaim, "But Joey, six of these pizzas are for you!"

* * *

"Where to?"

"Hm. The mutt's being oddly obedient."

Joey felt his left eye twitch. "Would you pop an artery if you called me by my name?"

"What's that? Mr. Mutt?"

In one lunge Joey had grabbed the collars of Seto's coat. "Look, did you call me over here for transportation or for target practice?"

They glared at each other, the high sun beating down on the cement sidewalk around them. Finally, Seto shoved Joey aside and stepped towards the car. Joey continued to glower at him. Nodding towards the street, Seto spoke.

"La Finale."

"You actually eat?"

"Very funny. I'm having lunch with a business associate. Her idea."

"Ya know, it almost sounds like you'd rather stand here insultin' me than meetin' with her."

"Her company provides resources vital to the manufacturing of our products."

"But she's still a pain. I get it. There are better ways to stall than to bug the hell outta me, though."

"Oh, really? What would you suggest?" Seto smirked, crossing his legs. By now the car was moving down the street.

"Uh, erm …" Just then, a phone went off, and Joey exhaled, running a hand through his hair and easing into the warm leather seat, as he heard Seto answering it from the back. As he navigated through the hum of the traffic, he realized he could hear bits of the conversation.

Seto answered the call with his usual gruffness, but then his tone became more and more hushed, before exploding into outrage.

"You will not come within a mile's radius of him, do you understand? This is between you and me; leave my brother out of it!"

The sound of a cell phone being slammed shut with a sickening crack reverberated through the car. Joey flinched.

They had arrived at the restaurant. Joey opened his mouth, but Seto was already outside. With a brusque, "Wait here," he stormed towards the front doors.

One of the unspoken prerequisites of dining at La Finale was a face or an outfit that the paparazzi would recognize. Those audacious or naïve enough to arrive without either were led to a side bar with a hasty, "I'm sorry, the main tables have been reserved," which is where Joey found himself directed by a leggy waitress with bleached hair, who decided his t-shirt wasn't an Armani. Joey didn't care. He just wasn't going to sit in a stuffy car for an hour while Seto munched away. Turning in his chair, he saw Seto being led to a corner of the room, where a woman was waiting.

She was wearing a tight little dress with a low neckline, whose color matched her painted scarlet lips. Her thick, processed hair fell around a strikingly curvy figure. Joey noticed a young waitress slip by her, awed and envious. Seto didn't even look at her.

Seto ordered some sort of meat, which he didn't touch, while she had a salad. Throughout the meal, she leaned towards him, staking her elbows into the table and thrusting herself forward, while Seto leaned back against his chair, arms and legs crossed. Joey thought of a hungry cat and grumpy mouse, and grinned into his lemonade. Finally, they stood up, and she held her hand out to him, though from the way she dangled it at him Joey couldn't tell if she wanted him to shake it or to kiss it. Seto just brushed his hand against hers impatiently before walking off.

"Let's go."

Following behind, Joey looked over his shoulder to see the woman watching them with a mixture of frustration and curiosity.

* * *

"That was one helluva businesswoman. I didn't know people dressed like that to work," Joey said, adjusting the air conditioning as the car zoomed along.

"Normally, they don't. At least, people with a sense of decency wouldn't."

Joey glanced at Seto through the rearview mirror.

"So … did you two sort out all of your businessy stuff?"

"Frankly, today's exchange was unnecessary. There was nothing to discuss; her husband's company has been working with mine for many years and the contract has never changed."

"But she wanted face time. Bein' a big boss ain't as great as it seems, is it?" Joey turned and grinned teasingly at him. Seto scowled back.

"Is this like a new bone for you, mutt?"

Joey feigned a pout and glared at him.

"Always with the insults, eh, moneybags?"

After a long and stiff silence, Joey decided to venture again.

"That phone call from earlier … was that business-related too?"

Seto started, turning his face from the window.

"No – not really."

"It sounded pretty serious. Anythin' I can do to help?"

"It's none of your concern," Seto growled.

"Listen, rich boy," Joey gritted his teeth. "I don't give a damn about you, but Mokuba's a good kid, and I don't want to see him hurt."

"You have no idea what you'd be getting yourself into, you stupid dog!"

They were staring daggers at each other. Joey didn't even look at the road.

After an eternity, Joey sighed, slowly turning to face the front, so that when Seto spoke, it took him by surprise.

"Pull over," he said softly.


	5. Chapter 5

1:00pm

They were leaning against the trunk of a wide, old tree at the edge of the road, whose gnarled branches and young green leaves provided an oasis of shade in the summer heat. The long rays of the sun suggested that it was at least one in the afternoon.

"The other day, you asked what happened to my previous driver," Seto began, looking at the road without actually seeing it. "Most of my old drivers simply couldn't handle my demands –"

"Ya mean your temper and ridiculous work hours?" Joey interrupted with a wry grin. Seto didn't seem to hear him.

"This last driver, though … he was different. He was young, not much older than me, and smart – capable – and foolishly, I trusted him. That night …" Seto's eyes were glazed. "… I told him everything. Everything he wanted to know. About the company. About the technology. About me." Seto's hands had tightened into fists, and he'd grown pale. Despite the thick heat, Joey shivered. "One day I found him in my office, stealing some blueprints for a new Duel Disk system. Turned out he worked for the elite of the technological black market. He'd been collecting information for these people, but he couldn't find the final piece. After their cover was blown, they started calling me from unidentified numbers. When I wouldn't give them what they wanted, they resorted to blackmail."

For a long time, Joey couldn't speak. Seto's sudden openness was terrifying. Finally, he managed to whisper, "Who _are_ these people?"

Seto's voice was a murmur, as if his mind were elsewhere. "In the world of illegal trade, they are the kings. These people have the means and connections to bring corporations to their knees."

"Have you tried the police?"

"The police are useless."

In the stillness that ensued, both boys stared blankly in front of them, engulfed in their own thoughts. Finally, Seto turned to face him.

"So now, Joey, you know."

"Kaiba …"

"Seto."

Joey stared at him. "S- Seto …" The name tasted strange on his tongue, but not unpleasant. "Seto, why are you telling me all this?"

"Well, first of all, you asked. And … I know you," Seto paused and smirked, "and you're nothing but a big blockhead."

"WHY YOU …!"


	6. Chapter 6

7:00pm

"You're leavin' work early," Joey said, starting the engine. It was the day after they'd talked under the tree, and the clock read seven. Things were a little weird now, but not in a bad way. It was just different. They two still exchanged insults, but they had less of a vicious quality and seemed more like the result of habit.

"Mokuba talked me into it. Said it was his half-birthday."

"Half-birthday?"

"Beats me. I think it's more of an excuse to get me to come home a little earlier once in a while. I thought I'd play along. I owe him that much."

Joey glanced at Seto through the rearview mirror. He was gazing out the window, his expression solemn. Shifting in his seat, Joey put on a grin and said, "The kid's right. You've got bags under your eyes the size of Japan!"

"At least I'm not a third-rate duelist!" But Seto was smiling too.

* * *

When they arrived at the mansion, Mokuba was already outside. He started running towards them but skidded to a stop in front of the car, eyes huge and round as plums.

"… Joey?"

"Hey kiddo!" Joey gave a wide-mouthed grin and tousled the messy black hair.

Mokuba looked from Joey to Seto and back. Then, he ventured cautiously, "Did you two get in a fight or something?"

"Huh? Whaddya mean? … Oh!" Joey laughed. "Nah, I'm his new chauffeur!" Joey indicated Seto by elbowing him in the ribs.

"Jab me again and you won't be!" Seto retorted, but struggled to check a smile. Then, turning towards his little brother, he said with genuine warmth, "Hey, Mokuba."

Mokuba, snapping out of his bug-eyed stare, ran forward and gave Seto a big hug.

Spinning around to Joey, he grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the house. "C'mon, Joey, I wanna show you around!"

Joey looked at Seto, who only shrugged. Wide-eyed, he let himself get hauled along by the little mop of hair in front of him. After zigzagging throughout the estate, Mokuba plopped him down in what looked like the living room.

"I'm gonna get a soda. You want anything?"

"Nah, I'm good, thanks."

Joey watched the little boy skip off before wandering out into the hallway. Turning, he smacked right into a man in a black suit and shades.

"Who are you?" he rumbled.

"Uh … mah name's Joey Wheeler. I'm Se- Kaiba's new chauffeur."

"You got some ID on you, son?"

Fumbling in his back pocket, Joey pulled out a wallet with a driver's license in it. The man wearing sunglasses indoors held it in front of his face for a few minutes, before handing it back and giving Joey a hearty pat on the back.

"Had to check – you know – part of the job," he puffed.

"So … who are _you_?" Joey asked, staring at the big man in front of him.

"The name's Agent Smith."

"… really?"

"As far as you need to know." Joey had the feeling that he was winking at him from behind his black sunglasses.

"Glad to see Mr. Kaiba got himself a new chauffeur," said Agent Smith, gathering himself up and breathing out through his nostrils. He looked like a black bear. "His sort of folk shouldn't drive. Menace on the roads. For a while he drove himself, you know. Frightening thing. Coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other, Duel Disk strapped to his arm. Drove right in the middle of the road, too." He chuckled, a deep, thundering sound in his throat. Then, he took a long look at Joey. "New chauffeur, eh. He tells you things, doesn't he?"

Joey jumped. "Huh? What? … How'd you know?"

Agent Smith chuckled again. "I read people. It's also part of the job." He sighed. "Before the … incident, Mr. Kaiba trusted very few people. Now he trusts no one." He looked at Joey again. "But I think he trusts you."

"Are you here … because of the stolen tech thing?"

Agent Smith leaned down heavily. "This is rather private, as you know, but my men and I are keeping a lookout. There's the kid and all, you know. Mr. Kaiba contacted us and told us the bare facts – imposter, stolen tech, wants us to watch the little one – but he doesn't tell us much else. And what we have isn't enough to get this case solved. If you come into possession of pertinent information, I'd suggest you let me know. The sooner these thieves are caught, the better." Agent Smith handed Joey a card with a telephone number on it and a big, fat government stamp in the corner. Joey just stared and nodded.


	7. Chapter 7

8:00pm

Agent Smith turned and disappeared down the hallway just as the clock on the wall rang eight times. Hearing the sounds of scuffling behind him, Joey turned to find Mokuba dragging along his older brother, who looked particularly disturbed.

"Hi Joey! Can you stay a while? We're going to watch a movie!"

Joey squinted at Seto, who seemed to have turned green at "movie." An evil grin crept onto his face, and with a dramatic flourish he began pushing him in the direction of the living room, with Mokuba tugging his shirt from the front. They settled onto the couch, and Mokuba happily reached for the remote, unaware that his brother was hissing curses at the guest who had tucked both hands behind his head and sunk into the leather in an exaggeratedly comfortable manner. As the screen flashed brightly with pre-movie trailers, Mokuba turned to Seto.

"Big bro, the weirdest thing happened to me in the park today. I'd asked Agent Rogers to get me some ice cream, and the minute he left, this big black van drove up near the sidewalk, and I think it was following me 'cause the minute Agent Rogers got back it drove away."

Joey's breath hitched, and he turned his head towards Seto slightly. The latter had turned the color of seaweed in the dark of the room. For a minute, all that was heard was the sound of babble and explosions coming from the television.

"Please don't ask Agent Rogers to leave you unattended again." When Seto spoke, his voice sounded choked.

Mokuba hadn't noticed. "But, big brother, I don't get why you make him follow me around all the time; it's weird!"

"It's … a precautionary measure."

"Against what? I'm not carrying around blueprints in my pocket that bad guys could steal." Mokuba scrunched up his face. Joey blinked at his naiveté. "I'm gonna make popcorn. You guys want any?" The two older boys shook their heads. "Don't kill each other while I'm gone!"

Joey watched Mokuba disappear and turned sharply towards Seto.

"He doesn't know?"

"Why the hell would I tell him about it?"

"You could at least tell Agent Smith, so he knows what to look out for!"

"You've met Agent Smith?"

"Don't change the goddamn subject! Yes, I've met Agent Smith, and I know that he knows next to nothing about what's going on." Joey felt his face grow hot. "He thinks you've hired him to catch some petty thieves and to babysit!"

"And you think that you know exactly what's going on?"

"I know that you should tell him about the constant phone harassment and the concrete threats to Mokuba's wellbeing!"

"You don't know anything, and it was a mistake to stop the car that day!"

At some point they had both stood up and were now standing dangerously close to each other. Mokuba walked in, cradling a big bowl of popcorn, and took a step back. Joey noticed and walked towards him, gently mussing his black hair.

"Sorry, kiddo. I gotta go."


	8. Chapter 8

4:00pm

Seto had told him to "wait in the car" while he took a five minute detour. He had walked into the office of the subsidiary corporation at least fifteen minutes ago, and he'd left his phone, which was ringing. And ringing. And ringing. When Joey felt his head become absolutely bloated from the sound, he plunged forward and grabbed the phone. A text message showed.

_From: Unknown_

_Mr. Kaiba – you've made a wise decision. I look forward to seeing you at the abandoned warehouse. _

Joey tensed. If this situation weren't real it would almost be laughable, like a clichéd old mafia film. There was a commotion outside, and Joey quickly returned the phone to its place. Looking out the window, he saw a small group of hunched and ashen people in business attire following Seto to the door, mumbling variations of apology. He got in the car, and Joey heard a snippet of "we're deeply sorry for our incompetence" before the door closed.

"Kaiba Corp.," Seto said monotonously.

"Erm … Seto?" Joey ventured, his voice sounding small. Their gazes met in the rearview mirror. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"No, that's only reserved for you." Seto smirked absentmindedly.

"Listen, about yesterday night …"

The businesspeople were still huddled outside the limo. Seto glared at them, and they scurried away.

"I wasn't tryin' to start a fight …"

Seto turned, expression amused.

"It just made me really … worried … how you were trying to handle this on your own …"

"Oh? You disapprove of my life choices?"

"This isn't a joke, you idiot!" Joey felt his ears grow hot. Seto wasn't making this easy. "I'm worried … about Mokuba and … about you …" He thought he heard Seto's breathe catch, but before he could check, the cool composure was back. "Well, say something, damn it!"

"You didn't mean it, then?"

"Huh?" Joey awkwardly twisted himself around in his seat, so that he was facing Seto. The other's face was blank, but there was an intensity in his eyes that surged like waves. Joey shifted, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"That day … in the car … when you declared that you didn't 'give a damn' about me … ?" As he spoke, he leaned forward, gaze locked on Joey. Joey found himself frozen, unable to move away, and realized this must be what prey feel like.

"Kn- Knock it off! Of course I didn't mean it!" Had Seto been thinking about it? "Stop acting like it's a big deal; I wasn't being serious …" Why was he feeling so nervous?

Seto remained motionless, before easing back into his seat, his lips curling into a smile. "So you care … about me … ?" There was an ironic edge to his voice incongruous with the nature of the question.

"Well, yeah, I guess …" Joey turned around again and fumbled clumsily with the key in the ignition. The sound of the engine seemed to end the conversation, as the car fell in line with the traffic.


	9. Chapter 9

Midnight

The clock read twelve at night. The past hour had been a blur.

* * *

When Joey had received a panicked call from Mokuba asking why his brother hadn't gone home yet, he'd patiently explained that he'd had business affairs that required his attention, which was the same thing Seto had told him. Unless Seto had lied. Joey had then frantically and clumsily searched his pockets for the card from Agent Smith while wondering how the hell he'd been so stupid. Hands shaking, he'd dialed the number.

"Agent Smith."

"It's Joey. Listen, I think Set- Kaiba's in danger."

Joey heard a rumble that sounded like a curse, and when Agent Smith spoke again his voice was two octaves lower. "Where are you now?"

"Parked on 15th Street."

"Don't move; we'll be right there."

Agent Smith arrived within minutes, followed by several ominous-looking vehicles. He slid into the passenger seat with unexpected agility. "Drive."

As Joey drove towards Domino's one abandoned warehouse, he explained about the text message and the phone calls that had preceded it.

Agent Smith listened grimly. "I wish I'd known the gravity of the situation. If I had, I never would have allowed it to get this far." Suddenly, "Stop here."

* * *

It all seemed surreal. Midnight, the glowing moon, the man in black signaling silently to his subordinates, and Joey, crouching besides him and peeking out from the side of a rundown shed.

"So that's why," Agent Smith breathed inaudibly, gaze fixed intently on a dark alley ahead of him.

Joey had seen them, but he didn't understand what Agent Smith meant.

The two figures were facing each other. Seto was easy to recognize, with his white trench coat gleaming like polished stone and the shadows of the night and the light of the moon playing a sharp contrast across his face. He looked stunning. The other, also a young man, remained hidden in darkness.

"Good to see you again, Seto."

"Don't call me that."

"I'm sorry it had to end this way. I really am." The young man moved forward into a patch of light. The wind laced through his hair, so that the strands seemed to float in slow motion around his face. His eyes were like onyx, and Joey shivered. He was beautiful.

Seto had taken a step back, as if in a silent dance. "Don't lie to me."

"It's a little late for that." The young man chuckled icily.

At this, Seto stumbled back several steps. His back hit the brick wall behind him, and he braced his hand against it. "Do you mean … none of it was …"

Joey blinked. They weren't talking about phony chauffeurs. What were they talking about?

The young man seemed to ponder Seto's question before walking forward, a crooked smile creeping up his face. "No. Not all of it." He leaned into Seto's personal space. "After a few drinks, I'd gotten what I needed. So why do you think I took it one step further?"

"Get away from me." Seto's voice was husky.

"It wasn't a lie, what I said …" He reached up, as if to stroke Seto's face.

"Don't touch me!" Seto's breathing had turned jagged. He was barely standing up. "I trusted you …"

"And you told me your pretty little secrets, and you thought I was your dream, and you thought you could run to me when reality was chasing you down, and you thought you were safe with me, and you never once suspected that I would turn into your worst nightmare!" he snarled, lips twisted into a wicked grin. He had slammed Seto against the wall and grabbed his head and was pulling his mouth towards his own.

"No!"

They both turned, stunned, towards the blond running towards them. Joey shoved himself in between the two and pushed the young man off of Seto. He fell to the ground and, in a swift, fluid motion, pulled out a revolver from his back pocket and pointed it at Joey.

Joey braced himself but, instead of hearing the shot, was surprised by three clicks as a sniper on the roof above him, another on the roof opposite, and Agent Smith himself pointed guns at the young man. Black eyes wide, he dropped his own weapon and raised his hands. The sounds of scuffling were heard, and two more agents entered the scene, each restraining an extremely muscular man.

"You just had to play with him first, didn't you?" spat the one with a scar across the left side of his face. "You just had to have your game!"

As the agents led the three away, Joey turned towards Seto, who was leaning heavily against the wall.

"Why are you here?"

"Didn't I tell you? I care … about you."

"Thank you," Seto whispered, before collapsing into Joey's arms.


	10. Chapter 10

7:00am

The hospital clock read seven in the morning. Nurses with carts and clipboards crossed the long hall in flurries of white that matched the color of the clean, stark walls. Hearing a door, Joey looked up from his seat in the waiting room.

"He'll be fine. He's coming out in a second. The thing he needed most was rest." Agent Smith sat down beside him.

Joey looked at him with honey brown eyes.

"You still don't get it, do you?" he asked warmly, reassuringly.

"This 'reading people' thing of yours is starting to get freaky."

"Part of our basic training requires a proficiency in behavioral analysis."

"Uh, I'm gonna act like I understood what you just said."

Agent Smith shifted so that he was directly facing him. "Listen, Joey. Mr. Kaiba was haunted by scars that ran deeper than just business. Because of the lies of that young man, he closed himself to everyone, not wanting to be hurt again. The fact that he trusted you with glimpses of what really happened, even if they were only vague hints, means that he has entrusted to you a rare bond, and it is your responsibility now to help him heal."

"I …"

"You'll do the right thing." Agent Smith smiled and stood up. "I'll keep in touch, son."

Before Joey could say more, ask more, call Agent Smith back, Seto entered the room.

"Seto!" Joey exclaimed, jumping up. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. … How long have you been waiting here?"

"Lemme just say that I'm not normally up at this hour."

They got in the familiar black car.

"So, should I drive you home?"

"Kaiba Corp."

"You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding."

"I have work." After a few minutes, "Hey, you missed the turn."

"I know. We're not going to Kaiba Corp."

"What? Wheeler, you have no power to decide that!"

"Chill out! We're here."

He parked in front of a wide span of grass and trees. Large rocks were embedded throughout the landscape, and through the foliage came the glistening of water.

Joey hesitated but, seeing that Seto wasn't moving, grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. He tried to ignore the way his heart jumped at the touch.

"You're taking the day off. If you're not going home, then you're staying here." Noting Seto's glare, he mumbled, "At least for a little while."

Pushing through the trees, they emerged onto the shore of a vast lake. The water swayed warmly beneath the sun, and Joey found himself thinking of Seto's eyes. He'd never thought of the water in that way before.

"This is where I go when I want some peace," Joey said, gazing at the lake. He suddenly realized he was still holding Seto's hand, and sheepishly stuffed his own in his pockets. They both stood, staring at the rich blue before them. Joey wondered what Seto was thinking, as his own thoughts swirled around Agent Smiths words. He'd never been good at this sort of thing, but …

"Seto … about last night …"

"I wish you hadn't seen it," Seto said quietly.

"What … ?" Joey found his own voice was muted too.

"I didn't want anyone to know … that it was like _that_ … that there was more to the issue than just business … hell, I even had Mokuba fooled … I put up the pretense because I didn't want anyone to see me so weak. I felt so worthless. _He_ made me feel so worthless, the way he used me and threw me away like that …"

Seto was breaking down. The words were tumbling out of his mouth unguarded; he looked so fragile. Looking back, Joey would never know what impulse had seized him, but suddenly he was embracing him – he was hugging Seto Kaiba. He felt him stiffen, startled, but slowly he melted into the hug until he was limp in Joey's arms. Joey held him, felt him bury his head in the hollow of his shoulder, felt his breath on his neck.

"Don't let anyone tell you what you're worth, because you're priceless."

Seto straightened slowly. "Where'd that line come from? A fortune cookie?" he murmured.

"Shuttup," Joey grumbled, praying that his cheeks weren't red. "So, ha ha, it's funny 'cause I've been to the hospital more often than I've been to the arcades this summer!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, er, the thing is that … the reason I needed a job was for my sister, Serenity. You know how she had an eye condition that was causing her to go blind, and how after her operation, everyone thought she was okay?"

Seto nodded.

"Well, she told me recently that one eye has regressed, and she may go blind in that eye if she's not constantly monitored, but she can't afford the hospital stay fee. I've been trying to earn it for her."

"And so you picked the highest paying job without even checking who it was for."

"I was in a rush!"

"How much does she need?"

"… You don't need to know. This is something I vowed to take care of, and I'm gonna take care of it."

"Hm."

Joey could tell that Seto was planning something, but for the moment he was willing to let it slide. The water was too beautiful.


	11. Final Chapter

6:00pm

Joey was nervous. The only reason Seto called people into his personal office nowadays was to fire them. He walked into the main lobby, briefly noting that the clock read six, and shook some rain droplets from his coat.

"Maybe I shouldn't have hugged him," he wondered as he got into the elevator.

Cautiously, he entered the room, only to find Seto standing with an envelope in his hand, which he handed to Joey. It was bulging with cash.

"What the hell –"

"It's your salary. It just so happens to also be the amount your sister needs to pay the hospital."

Joey's eyes had doubled in size. "How did –"

"Let's go! Stop standing around like a moron!"

Joey sprinted through the hospital hallways towards Serenity's ward, envelope in hand and Seto following behind. In full speed, he turned a corner and crashed into a woman in her late forties.

"Sorry – Mom?"

Mrs. Wheeler looked older than her age. Her dusty brown hair was frazzled, and wrinkles creased her face. The first thing she did upon seeing her son was grab the envelope out of his hand.

"Shameless brat! Serenity's situation is your fault, you know!"  
Joey's eyes widened as Seto's narrowed. "What?" they said simultaneously.

"You useless punk! Wasting your own life away wasn't enough; you just had to drag my precious daughter into your reckless street ways!"

People were beginning to stare.

"Mom, I don't understand …" Joey's voice quavered.

"If Serenity hadn't undergone all of the stresses and dangers of being with your disgusting crew – why, flying through the sky on a blimp, being sucked into a virtual world where she was chased down by rhinos! – she wouldn't be going b- blind again!"

"Wait a minute –" Seto began, voice low.

"You're worthless! Just like your father … I don't want to see your face!" She was screaming now, hysterical.

Joey turned and ran.

"Joey, wait!" Seto sent her a glare that could have left her cold on the floor, before turning and running after him.

The small drizzle had turned into a vicious downpour, and the streets were empty as people sought shelter from the rain. The sound of Joey's footsteps echoed in the emptiness as he ran through the deserted streets, head down and eyes clamped shut. His clothes were drenched, and he couldn't distinguish the rain running down his face from the tears.

"Joey!" A firm hand grabbed his arm and yanked him around, so that he was staring into blue eyes.

"Let go of me," he mumbled.

"Joey, listen to me. It's not true." When Joey was silent, he continued. "Serenity told me what really happened." A pair of honey brown eyes questioned him waveringly. "Earlier this afternoon, I went to the hospital to ask what her fee was, since you wouldn't tell me. While there, I visited her, and she told me what was going on."

"You … what?"

"Yeah, you should have seen her face when I walked in during visiting hours. I asked her to explain what had happened. She hadn't wanted to tell you because she was afraid you'd get really worked up." _Funny how that worked out_, he muttered to himself. "Her mom – your mom – was facing difficulties at work, and one night, when she was particularly stressed, she threw a vase at your sister, and it hit her in the eye."

"… What? …"

"Your sister's regression has nothing to do with you, but in your mother's eyes, you were the easiest to blame."

"I … Even so, she's right. I should have protected Serenity. I should never have let her get into those situations. What sort of a brother am I if I can't protect my little sister? She's probably better off without me … everyone's probably better off without me …"

"No! Your sister needs you, your friends need you, and …"

And what? And what?

And Seto's lips were on his own.

Joey felt himself being drawn in as a warmth enveloped him, shielding him from the cold rain. They were both soaked, and their clothes clung to them the way Joey found himself clinging to Seto. He smelled like velvet nights and candlelight. He tasted so soft. _And I need you._

Slowly, tenderly, Seto pulled away. "Now, what was that cheesy fortune cookie line of yours? 'Don't let anyone tell you what you're worth, because you're priceless.'"

Joey's blush deepened. "Ya know, when I gave you that line, I did it differently."

"I can't help it if I do things better."

"Bastard," Joey murmured as he nuzzled his face into Seto's chest. Six o' clock would never be the same.


End file.
